How To Select Affordable Health Insurance In Dayton, Ohio

When you select affordable health insurance in Dayton, you're obviously going to consider the premiums; however, price isn't the only factor that goes into making a Dayton health insurance plan affordable. The insurance policy needs to cover your health needs, too.

Consider this checklist as you're selecting your Dayton affordable health insurance policy.

Find out what is and is not covered.

Not every health insurance policy is going to cover every health care need. When you search for affordable health insurance in Dayton, have a clear picture of the kind of health coverage you need. Do you have any pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or cancer? Do you need mental health services, such as counseling or prescription medications? If so, you want to choose a health insurance policy that will cover your needs.

Find out how much you're responsible for.

With employer-sponsored group health insurance in Ohio, policyholders are usually only responsible for a low-cost co-pay at the time of services. Sometimes policyholders are responsible for a low portion of the premiums, as well, which are deducted from payroll. However, when you're searching for an individual health insurance plan in Dayton, you'll likely be responsible for more costs. So, find out the exact cost of your premiums, as well as how much co-pay you'll be expected to pay at the time of service.

Find out what you can do if you just can't afford health insurance.

If you just can't afford Dayton health insurance right now, Ohio has state-sponsored health care plans from which you can choose. Visit the Ohio Department of Insurance website for information about these programs, as well as other nationwide health insurance plans and tips on how to save money on your premiums. You can also use this website to answer any questions you may have regarding the license of a particular health insurance company, and to file complaints about any unsettled health insurance claims.

The what, why and when of Health Insurance

A lot of us probably wonder why we need health insurance when we are in the pink of our health. But as they say, life is unpredictable and you never know when the tables can turn. So it's really best to get oneself a health insurance policy at the earliest.
Let's start with what health insurance is. Like any other insurance, this demands that you pool in your money at regular intervals, to conveniently incur medical expenses in the future. It is a way of protecting yourself against the medical costs that life has in store for you. If you ask what a good time to get yourself insured is, then the answer is 'yesterday', as you never know what today holds for you.
There are two broad categories of health insurances.

1. Fee-for-service
   
   In this type of policy, the insured is admitted to hospital. The insured or his family is expected to pay the costs, such as hospital bills, medicine costs, ambulance charges etc, but can later claim the damages from the insurance company. This however, depends on the amount that the person is insured for. It also depends on whether the insurance company considers the medical expenses as 'reasonable or customary'. If the expenses are more than the 'reasonable amount', you may have to make up for the difference yourself.
2. Point-of-Service (POS)
   
   This type of health insurance policy features cashless transactions. Here, insurance companies have tie-ups with certain hospitals or doctors. Thus, if you go to the hospital that has a tie-up with your insurance company, you don't need to pay the bills as you are financially covered. However, even if you choose to go outside the network of doctors or hospitals, the plan covers about 80% of the costs.
   A lot of companies now-a-days are shifting to the cashless transaction method as it is more convenient option.

There are several other kinds of health insurance policies that vary from company to company. A full-service health insurance policy consists of an expensive premium but in times of need, it is worth every penny as it covers every medical expense of the insured regardless of the institution or the doctor.
Group health insurance policies offer health insurance to specified group of people such as employees of a company, members of a joint family, members of a co-operative society, groups of doctors, chartered accountants, etc.
Note: Health insurance types and its terms and conditions vary for different companies, thus read through different health insurance policies carefully, before opting for a particular one. There is no best policy. It differs on an individual's needs and preferences.